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Atlas N-scale Shay on reserve


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Krackel Hopper

Thinking about getting one of these in the undecorated black so I can decal as Western Maryland.  Would be fantastic to see Atlas (or someone else) do the bigger Class C, 3 truck Shay to be more prototypical for the WM Shay.. but.. until then I suppose lettering one of these Atlas shays for WM isn't a bad compromise.

 

When they came out, I was interested but also very concerned about running quality.  However, it seems most people who purchased an original run have said that it is a very smooth running locomotive.

 

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beakaboy - here's a situation where you need the disconnects, but only if your minimum radius will support it.  It's in N.Z., but I don't have any other details.

 

Modeling the tractor would be "almost" impossible in N-scale; NZ-120 maybe?

 

 

 

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Nick_Burman

beakaboy - here's a situation where you need the disconnects, but only if your minimum radius will support it.  It's in N.Z., but I don't have any other details.

 

Modeling the tractor would be "almost" impossible in N-scale; NZ-120 maybe?

 

Oh my, the redneck version of the Sylter Verkehrsbetriebe (Germany) Borgward railcars... :grin :grin :grin

 

 

Cheers NB

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Oh my, the redneck version . . .

 

Redneck?   From what I've seen, I'd say that's rather refined for bush logging tramways !

 

Now this is what I'd call redneck - Pacific NW circa 1920's

 

 

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beakaboy - here's a situation where you need the disconnects, but only if your minimum radius will support it.  It's in N.Z., but I don't have any other details.

 

Modeling the tractor would be "almost" impossible in N-scale; NZ-120 maybe?

 

 

 

gallery_941_135_151712.jpg

That's a beauty Charles. Something I can definitely see myself having a go at in NZ120. many thanks

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The "pole roads" often had the top of the log rails cut off, so the wheels were wide and  flat with flanges on both sides.  Here's a Class A climax and a period video (of a "truck train") :

 

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-ScI_Gve0w

 

 

A variation, using petite double flanges and what looks like "strap iron" rails mounted on "improved" logs

 

 

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There were also lines that used squared-off logs as rail, with super wide flanges - similar to the early "strap iron" rail, but without the iron.

 

This is what I take as a catalog image - from the Climax company.  The depicted "rails" are severely undersized for this type of arrangement.

 

 

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http://www.gearedsteam.com/climax/articles/a_twenty-five_ton/article.htm

 

 

Here is such an engine in use, although this is a Class A with a vertical boiler, vs. the Class B shown in the linked article.  I'd love to see the details of that switch!

 

 

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Two images of logging trackwork that I particularly like.  First a Porter about to encounter a very tight radius curve (10-15 m ?), and then a steep grade.

 

 

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And a switchback with extreme gradients and "temporary" trackwork.  Except for "base camp" areas, logging track was frequently relaid - as soon as one area was fully logged out, with no trees left to cut down, they moved on to a new location.

 

 

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cheers Charles. I love that porter loco shot with the steep climb up the hill. It would look great modelled with my Shay negotiating the hill or coming down, to a main line  for unloading. I had also thought of scratchbuilding a NZ sawmill such as this . The first photo down the page.  http://www.theprow.org.nz/people/marlborough-nelson-timber-pioneers/#.VcQJP1Mw_mQ

 

Its very close to where I grew up. The area is  rich in gold mining and timber history , but as a young lad it was not very interesting! 

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One last logging photo, before we get back to Shays.  Log trestles were fairly common on temporary lines, but I think this is the largest that I have seen.  If you look at the top of the trestle, you can see this was built on a grade.

 

 

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This is the only known diesel-Shay, Canadian Forest Products # 98, powered by a Cummins 400 hp diesel engine.  It was built in 1951 by Tyee Machinery, Vancouver, using driveline components from a Shay.  You can see in the B&W photo that the Shay sandboxes were retained, and the hood access ladder was relocated before the color image was taken.  I always thought it would be fun to model, but you'd need a proto photo to prove to skeptics that it wasn't a fantasy.

 

 

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Getting away from logging, here is another unusual Shay, which ran in New York City.

Quoting from an online source:  "The New York Central was not known to conduct logging operations, but its 1940 roster listed five Shay type locomotives.  They were built in 1923 by Lima Locomotive Works for use on the West Side freight line in New York City, chiefly on street trackage on 10th and 11th Avenues. An old city ordinance required them to be covered to avoid frightening horses, and they also had to be preceded by a horse and rider when operating in the street. When most of the street trackage was removed and the West Side line was electrified around 1932, the Shays were replaced by box-cab diesels that could run from third-rail electrification or on battery power."

 

 

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Note the brakeman standing on the roofwalk of the second car in the above photo.

 

Since these freight lines were on 10th and 11th Avenues (AKA Death Avenue due to all of the pedestrian fatalities), the horse riders became known as "West Side Cowboys".

 

In the background is the recently built High Line (~ 1934), which finally eliminated the need for street trackage.  I have some very old memories of operations on it, having grown up in NYC.  After sitting disused and rusting away for decades, it was converted into a pedestrian linear park, and is now one of NYC's most popular tourist attractions.

 

 

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Nick_Burman
Getting away from logging, here is another unusual Shay, which ran in New York City.

Quoting from an online source:  "The New York Central was not known to conduct logging operations, but its 1940 roster listed five Shay type locomotives.  They were built in 1923 by Lima Locomotive Works for use on the West Side freight line in New York City, chiefly on street trackage on 10th and 11th Avenues. An old city ordinance required them to be covered to avoid frightening horses, and they also had to be preceded by a horse and rider when operating in the street. When most of the street trackage was removed and the West Side line was electrified around 1932, the Shays were replaced by box-cab diesels that could run from third-rail electrification or on battery power."

 

 

gallery_941_135_23850.jpg

 

 

Note the brakeman standing on the roofwalk of the second car in the above photo.

 

Since these freight lines were on 10th and 11th Avenues (AKA Death Avenue due to all of the pedestrian fatalities), the horse riders became known as "West Side Cowboys".

 

In the background is the recently built High Line (~ 1934), which finally eliminated the need for street trackage.  I have some very old memories of operations on it, having grown up in NYC.  After sitting disused and rusting away for decades, it was converted into a pedestrian linear park, and is now one of NYC's most popular tourist attractions.

 

 

 

 

One of the NYC Shays was sold (sans the body shell and drive line covers) to the Marcellus & Otisco Lake Railway in the Finger Lakes region of NY after NYC gave up on them.

 

AFAIK the NYC employees on riding duties loathed the nickname. Calling them "cowboys" was a sure means of getting an earful of strong invective...

 

 

Cheers NB

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Nick - the source I used also has this about their post-NYC careers:

"The Shays were transferred to western New York State for use on the Genesee Falls Railway, an industrial line in Rochester, and the Owasco River Railway, with trackage around Auburn — both NYC subsidiaries."

 

I think the first photo, with the light snow on the ground, is actually from this period, as the sheet covering the cylinders has been removed.  I should think the cylinders would have been just as disturbing to a horse as the motion of a rod engine.  I also discovered some info that is new to me, from the February 1924 New York Central Lines Magazine.

 

"Thousands of these locomotives are in operation in logging camps throughout the world but this is the first time they have been used in trunk line service for freight transfer work in a large city.

The flexible drive permits the locomotive to operate around exceedingly sharp curves, a feature particularly advantageous for operation over city streets.

The Shay is ideal for this work since it can start and haul at these comparatively low speeds a great many more cars than the rod engines formerly used in this work.
Naturally in working through a crowded city the elimination of nuisance is an important consideration and in this the Shay is of great help.
There are so many exhausts from the cylinders of a Shay to each revolution of the wheels that the sound is a steady purr rather than the sharp blast that comes from a rod engine. Moreover this steady exhaust gives a more even burning fire and consequently induces the type of firing that keeps down the smoke evil.
A unique feature of the New York Central Shays is a double-end control which enables the engineer to have a good view of what is going on regardless of the direction in which the locomotive is proceeding. Since there are no facilities for turning the locomotive before its start back, the double-end control is essential.
The locomotive is completely enclosed with sheet steel so that it resembles a "tank" and so smoothly does it run, that it is frequently mistaken for an electric by the people along the street.

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Guest Closed Account 1

The video says DCC. Its not running with a DC controller and an onboard sound card.

 

DCC locomotives run smoother even when creeping than DC.

Edited by Webskipper
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The video says DCC. Its not running with a DC controller and an onboard sound card.

 

DCC locomotives run smoother even when creeping than DC.

 

Did you perhaps intend to post in another topic?

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Guest Closed Account 1

Atlas is doing another run of their famous Shay.  Although I saw one indication that some were due in 2Q15 (they apparently didn't make it), and others in 1Q16, a magazine I just received indicates that the product will generally be available in early 2016.  If interested, the only sensible place to buy (Reserve) them is Brooklyn Locomotive Works.  However, they do not deliver outside of the USA, so you will need to investigate other avenues if that is your situation.  BLW indicate that the first shipment is already sold out at Atlas, and I would suggest acting quickly if interested, as I'm certain that the magazine mention (major US MR magazine) will trigger a lot of activity.

 

http://www.blwnscale.com/atlas-shay.htm

 

Sadly, all of the photos on the site show the non-working side.

 

For those not familiar with this magnificent type of engine, used primarily for logging and mining (worldwide), here are a couple of images.  The image of the internals is obviously from the previous run, and I suspect there have been updates to the lighting.  Note the large Mashima motor and flywheels, which allows this engine to really crawl very slowly - just like the prototype.  The cylinders are obviously static, but the exposed driveshaft does operate.

 

 

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Here is a video of one fitted with sound.

 

 

Notice the very smooth slow speed running, and I'd guess that's with a straight DC controller.

 

In Japan, the Kiso and Alishan Forest Railways were associated with Shays, and I believe many of them are rotting away on Taiwan.

 

If anyone would want to add DCC, here is a forum discussion.  This also discusses the excellent build quality and running capabilities of this locomotive.

 

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=54040

 

 

No. In your first post you posted a DCC video and then guessed it was controlled with a straight DC controller.

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Guest Closed Account 1

Cool Shay.

 

I would happy to be the US middleman to receive North American only distributed items. Then Ship them Worldwide.

 

Modeling the tractor would be "almost" impossible in N-scale; NZ-120 maybe? 

 

The Goose utilizes the whole bus to fit the motor and drive train.

Edited by Webskipper
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That's a beauty Charles. Something I can definitely see myself having a go at in NZ120. many thanks

 

I just had another thought on powering this - hide it inside the short, fat log on the second set of disconnects.  You could add smaller logs on the sides of it at the bottom to provide more cover for what's underneath.

 

The overall strangeness of the whole consist might help distract viewer's attention from the trailing log, it it's quite ordinary in comparison to what proceeds it. 

 

I've always been tempted to model a pole road engine, using RC and batteries to power it - that might need to be On30.

A major limitation is that it could only be a short section of out and back running.

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